The Golden Lion food hygiene rating
Pub/bar/nightclub · Medway
The Golden Lion holds a 5, the highest food hygiene rating there is. At its last inspection the pub met every standard the inspector checked, with nothing needing attention.
The rating: 5 - Very good
The rating dates from 24 September 2025, 9 months ago. Councils typically re-inspect higher-risk businesses every six months to two years, with well-run, low-risk places visited least often, so this is a normal gap.
Address: The Golden Lion, 147-149 High Street, Rochester, ME1 1EL
How it compares in Medway
That puts The Golden Lion among the 1,577 places in Medway holding top marks, 80% of everywhere the council rates. A 5 is the norm here rather than the exception, so it is the rating to expect, not to be impressed by.
| 5 out of 5 | 1,577 | 80% | ← The Golden Lion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 out of 5 | 279 | 14% | ||
| 3 out of 5 | 74 | 4% | ||
| 2 out of 5 | 9 | <1% | ||
| 1 out of 5 | 24 | 1% | ||
| 0 out of 5 | 1 | <1% |
A further 171 businesses in the area are awaiting inspection or exempt, so are not counted above.
What the inspector found
- Hygienic food handling Very good
- Cleanliness & condition of the building Good
- How well they manage food safety Very good
An inspection scores three things: how food is handled, the physical condition of the premises, and how much the inspector trusts management to keep standards up. At The Golden Lion none of the three raised a concern, the overall rating is only ever as strong as its weakest area, so a clean sweep is what produces a high score.
Food hygiene ratings nearby
The closest food businesses to The Golden Lion, nearest first, so you can see how it compares to its neighbours.
| Business | Distance | Rating | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austens Of Rochester Retailers - other | 64 yards away | 5 - Very good | 18 May 2026 |
| Amore Other catering premises | 265 yards away | 5 - Very good | 10 August 2024 |
| Brettingtons Steak And Lobster House Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 399 yards away | 5 - Very good | 8 July 2024 |
| Besties Cafe Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 16 February 2026 |
| Boba Tigers Rochester Other catering premises | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 29 January 2025 |
| Bodega 51 Pub/bar/nightclub | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 7 November 2025 |
| Cafe Nucleus Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.3 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 May 2025 |
| 555 Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen | 0.4 miles away | 5 - Very good | 8 June 2026 |
Questions about The Golden Lion
What is The Golden Lion's food hygiene rating?
The Golden Lion has a food hygiene rating of 5 out of 5 (very good), given by Medway Council on 24 September 2025.
Is The Golden Lion safe to eat at?
The rating covers hygiene standards found at inspection, not the food itself. At 5 out of 5, the inspector found hygiene standards at this pub to be very good, the top end of the scale.
When was The Golden Lion last inspected?
The Golden Lion was last inspected on 24 September 2025, 9 months ago. Food hygiene inspections are unannounced, and the rating is published by Medway Council rather than by the business.
What did the inspector find at The Golden Lion?
The inspector scored three areas. Hygienic food handling was rated "very good", the cleanliness and condition of the building "good", and confidence in the management of food safety "very good". Lower concern in all three is what earns a high overall rating.
How does The Golden Lion compare to other places in Medway?
80% of the 1,964 rated food businesses in Medway hold the top rating of 5, and The Golden Lion is one of them.
Who decides the rating?
Medway Council inspects The Golden Lion and sets the rating; the Food Standards Agency publishes it. Neither the business nor this site can change a rating, a business that disagrees can appeal to its council, and can request a re-inspection once it has fixed the problems.
Tell me when this changes
The Food Standards Agency publishes only a business's rating today, not what it scored before, and not when it moves. We check every UK rating each night. Watch The Golden Lion and we will email you the morning after its rating changes.
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Understanding this rating
More food hygiene ratings near here
The Golden Lion is one of 531 rated food businesses in Rochester. See every hygiene rating in Rochester →
Medway inspects and rates 2,135 food businesses across its whole area. See every food hygiene rating in Medway →
The official record is held by the council: http://www.medway.gov.uk/
Rating from the Food Standards Agency under the Open Government Licence. Ratings reflect standards found at the time of inspection and can change. If you think a rating is wrong, the official record is held by the FSA and the local authority; corrections there flow through here. How ratings work →